Collision sensor

Abstract

A collision sensor, including a hollow housing having an accommodation space; a collision information generator arranged in the space and adapted to produce an output indicating a directional and/or positioning information of the collision when being triggered during the collision; a collision detecting member arranged over and adapted to trigger the collision information generator upon being driven by the obstacle during the collision; wherein the collision detecting member and the collision information generator are spaced apart from or in contact with each other by one or more resilient members, by which the collision detecting member is switchable between a normal position at which the collision detecting member is spaced apart from the collision information generator, and a working position at which at least a portion of the collision detecting member trigger the collision information generator by a compressive/collision force from the obstacle during the collision.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A collision sensor for detecting a collision between an automatically moveable part of a furniture and an obstacle, comprising:
 a piece of the furniture with at least one moveable part being driven relative to other pieces of the furniture in-a non-manual manner; 
 an automatic driving mechanism moving the at least one moveable part; 
 a controller controlling the automatic driving mechanism; and 
 a sensor comprising: 
 a hollow housing formed by injection molding, having a base plate and one or more lateral walls defining an accommodation space; 
 a collision information generator arranged in the space and producing an output indicating a directional and/or positioning information of the collision when triggered during the collision; and 
 a collision detecting member arranged over the collision information generator and triggering the collision information generator upon being actuated and driven by the obstacle during the collision; 
 wherein the collision detecting member and the collision information generator are spaced apart from each other or in contact with each other by one or more resilient members arranged in the space, 
 wherein the collision detecting member is switchable between a normal position at which the collision detecting member is spaced apart from or in contact with the collision information generator, and a plurality of working positions at which at least a portion of the collision detecting member is pressed against and triggering the collision information generator by a compressive or collision force originating from the obstacle during the collision, 
 and 
 wherein the collision sensor is adapted to detect the collision with the obstacle during movement of the moveable part and collect the directional and/or positioning information of the collision and then transmit the output indicating the collision and/or the information to the controller to adjust the automatic driving mechanism when the collision occurs. 
 
     
     
       2. The collision sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the collision information generator comprises:
 a printed circuit board assembly mounted on the base plate and provided with one or more conductive members/traces; and 
 a key member having one or more deformable contacting portions corresponding to and matching with the conductive members/traces, wherein each of the deformable contacting portions is switchable between a normal state where the contacting portion is spaced apart from respective conductive members/traces, and a deformed state where at least a portion of the contacting portion is deformed to press against and short the respective conductive members/traces by the compressive or collision force originating from the collision with the obstacle to produce the output indicating the directional and/or positioning information of the collision. 
 
     
     
       3. The collision sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the collision information generator comprises a printed circuit board assembly mounted on the base plate and provided with one or more tact switches triggerable by the compressive or collision force originating from the collision with the obstacle to produce the output indicating the directional and/or positioning information of the collision. 
     
     
       4. The collision sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the collision detecting member and/or the collision information generator comprises one or more engagement notches arranged at a periphery for engaging with one or more complementary stoppers arranged in the hollow housing to prevent the collision detecting member and/or the collision information generator from rotating while being subjected to a torque generated by the compressive or collision force originating from the collision with the obstacle. 
     
     
       5. The collision sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the collision detecting member comprises an enlargement element expands a detection area for collision 2 -40 times or more than an original coverage area of the collision detecting member. 
     
     
       6. The collision sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the collision detecting member is a circular cover, comprising a circular groove arranged at a periphery of the circular cover to accommodate and engage with one or more resilient members of the collision sensor and circular protrusions for engaging with the collision information generator, and the circular protrusions damming or driving the collision information generator to produce the output indicating the directional and/or positioning information of the collision. 
     
     
       7. The collision sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the resilient member is a wave spring enclosing the collision information generator. 
     
     
       8. The collision sensor of  claim 2 , wherein the key member is a silicone rubber key having circular conductive contacting portions arranged at a first side of the key member, and the circular conductive contacting portions being coated with a conductive film for contacting and shorting the respective conductive members/traces; and a central conical portion arranged at a second side of the key member and the central conical portion having an apex engaged with the collision detecting member and/or flushed with an end surface of a wave spring of the collision information generator. 
     
     
       9. The collision sensor of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more conductive members/traces or tact switches are indexed and/or grouped to correspond to or represent respective zones of the collision detecting member and/or the enlargement element, such that a directional and/or positioning information of the collision could be provided when respective conductive members/traces are shorted or tact switches are triggered. 
     
     
       10. The collision sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the directional and/or positioning information in the output is based on a non-uniform depression of the collision information generator, the collision information generator having at least one deformable element. 
     
     
       11. The collision sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the hollow housing is made of injection-molded plastic. 
     
     
       12. The collision sensor of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more engagement notches prevent rotation by the collision detecting member and/or the collision information generator about a central axis of the collision sensor relative to the hollow housing. 
     
     
       13. The collision sensor of  claim 5 , wherein the enlargement element is a rectangular, square, polygonal, or circular plate with a planar, concave, or convex surface, the enlargement element being made of thermoformed plastic. 
     
     
       14. The collision sensor of  claim 6 , wherein the circular cover is made of die-casted zinc alloy. 
     
     
       15. A collision sensor for detecting a collision between an automatically moveable part of a furniture and an obstacle, comprising:
 a piece of the furniture with at least one moveable part being driven relative to other pieces of the furniture in-a non-manual manner; 
 an automatic driving mechanism moving the at least one moveable part; 
 a controller controlling the automatic driving mechanism; and 
 a sensor comprising: 
 a hollow housing formed by injection molding, having a base plate and one or more lateral walls defining an accommodation space; 
 a collision information generator arranged in the accommodation space and producing an output indicating a directional and/or positioning information of the collision when triggered during the collision; and 
 a collision detecting member arranged over the collision information generator and triggering the collision information generator upon being actuated and driven by the obstacle during the collision; 
 wherein the collision detecting member and the collision information generator in contact with each other via one or more resilient members arranged in a space separating the collision detecting member and the collision information generator, 
 wherein the collision detecting member is switchable between a normal position at which the collision detecting member is in contact with the collision information generator via the one or more resilient members, and a plurality of working positions at which at least a portion of the collision detecting member is pressed against and triggering the collision information generator by a compressive or collision force originating from the obstacle during the collision, 
 wherein the directional and/or positioning information in the output is based on a non-uniform depression of the collision information generator deforming the one or more resilient members, and 
 wherein the one or more resilient members is a wave spring enclosing the collision information generator, the wave spring providing multi-directional support and deformability to the collision information generator, and 
 wherein the collision sensor is adapted to detect the collision with the obstacle during movement of the moveable part and collect the directional and/or positioning information of the collision and then transmit the output indicating the collision and/or the information to the controller to adjust the automatic driving mechanism when the collision occurs.